1. Field
Example embodiments relate to a semiconductor thin film transistor, and more particularly, to a method of manufacturing oxide semiconductor thin film transistors using an oxide semiconductor as a material for the channel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Oxide semiconductor thin film transistors which use an oxide semiconductor as a material for the channel may be used, for example, in the panel of a display device, e.g. an active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD) or an active matrix organic light emitting device (AMOLED).
In the manufacture of oxide semiconductor thin film transistors, the channel layer may be damaged by a plasma or etchant during different process steps. For example, it may be damaged during the deposition of a metal thin film, used to form the source and drain electrodes, onto a channel layer, or during patterning of metal thin film. As a result, the thin film transistors may have unstable characteristics, e.g. non-uniform electrical characteristics and/or altered threshold voltages. The unstable characteristics of the thin film transistors make the use of the thin film transistors difficult, for example, in panel applications, e.g. in the operating device of a display.